Onwards

I've been bad about updating this site for a while. I've been tired lately. Most days I get home and I'm too tired to do anything other than sit and read. It's the winter. Short days and a lot of darkness always get to me that way. That and the cold. I'm not in one of the truly frigid parts of Canada (not anymore at any rate) but I never liked the cold. It gets into my back and drains me. I'm more of the hot house flower type.

I have passed the 75,000 word mark in CALLED, however. Slow going but still, going is good. I think this is going to be a long one. I don't even feel half finished yet. The Sylph books, by the way, average between 90,000 and 100,000 words each. I've also written a few short stories, including one I'm working on where this idiot mercenary trio (you haven't met them yet. I like them. They're full of snark) runs into Medusa. If you've ever read the mythology, that women really gets screwed over by the gods.

I haven't heard anything new from Amazon. They have the physical copies of my books to make their versions from, the covers won't change, they will be available as paperback, and they're coming out sometime in 2013. I don't know if they'll buy four and five yet. It really does take this long to find out. It took nine months before I heard if the first one was going to be published when I first got into this business. It's been less than three months so far this time. Frustrating but true. I think it'll happen though. I hope. I've got a contact there, but I haven't been assigned an editor yet. Hopefully I'll get someone as great to work with as Kris Keesler was back at Dorchester. That makes a lot of difference.

I have today off, so I'm enjoying the sunlight coming in the window and trying to get some writing done before the treadmill I ordered shows up. Then I'll be in the hell that is trying to figure out how to put it together. I've set up a little home gym in my basement since I don't want to exercise at work (I'm military. We get an hour for PT a day, but I don't like the gym much and it's all self-directed. Plus the change room is fifty years old and smells). At home I can run exercise programs on my IPad and not feel like everyone's staring at me. Just the parrot, who insists on coming downstairs with me.

You know you need to exercise more when a four ounce bird decides to fly over and land on your head while you're in a middle of a dumbbell squat and you can't get back up....

I wrote this poem on November 10, 2002, in about an hour and a half when I was in Saint-Jean, Quebec at the Mega. The Mega's a huge building where the Canadian Forces trains new soldiers. I'd finished my training by that point, but was on the Personnel Awaiting Training platoon at the time because I'd managed to blow my wrist out and needed physiotherapy before I could do the fitness test requirements.

I don't quite remember where the genesis of this poem came from - I think I might have dreamed snippets of it - but I've rarely had anything come out that fast and that well. Almost nothing's changed from how I originally wrote it out.

I think of this poem every year on Remembrance Day. I've showed it to a few people before and read it to my platoon back in 2002, but this is its first public appearance. Feel free to repost it, print it, do anything that doesn't make a profit, but leave my name on it, please.

THE SOLDIERS

LJ McDonald

November 2002

The soldiers stand there watching me,

on the blood-soaked ground.

They never tell me who they are

or where that they are bound.

I tried at first to pretend

that I saw them not,

moving through the cold barbed wire

where the men have fought.

They are untouched by battle,

these soldiers that I see,

in uniforms of older wars

never fought by me.

I see them walk the battlefield,

while I hide inside my trench,

afraid of the artillery

and the bloody stench.

Upon the battlefields of war,

I cower and see ghosts,

fearing for my life and mind

from dead or living hosts.

I alone do see them,

alone in barricade,

for my buddies now are dead

and scattered round me laid.

Why is it that I’ve come here?

Why do I fight this war?

Why have I come so far from home

to fight and kill some more?

My buddies died for strangers,

sent here for policy,

wasting out our blood and lives

for things we’ll never see.

So now I sit amongst my dead

while older dead do walk,

in unseen ranks upon the field,

my sanity to mock.

“What is the point?” I rose to scream.

“What point is there to fight?

“You all fought in a thousand wars,

“but war still thunders bright.

“There is no end to tyranny,

“there is no end to hate.

“My buddies died for nothing but

a war that won’t abate.

“Why can’t I throw my weapon down?”

I shouted from my hole.

“Why can’t I live a normal life

“with an unsullied soul?

“The tanks they ran across our lines,

“the bombs fell from the sky.

“There’s been no silence for a week.

“We’ve naught to do but die.

“Why can’t I be the coward?”

I asked once I was done.

“What is the point of staying here

“when I would rather run?”

The soldiers then did look at me

and did not say a thing,

in their thousand uniforms

with weapons all agleam.

Instead their ranks did slowly part

To columns tall with pride,

to show me just exactly why

these men all risked to die.

Behind them stood the echoes –

not ghosts for they weren’t dead –

the memories of all the lives

these men died to protect.

I saw a million women

smiling down at me,

children playing at their feet

by men who all were free.

Beyond them I saw even more;

descendants in a line

that stretched out to eternity,

so wide and deep and fine.

My eyes went wide with startlement

to see these murdered men

outnumbered so by lives they saved,

of those they never met.

That was when I understood

why good men go to war,

and clutched my rifle close to me,

a glad weight I now bore.

The soldiers grouped around me,

blocking out the strife,

until I looked down and I saw

my trench carried no life.

Now I walk on battlefields,

or where once battles fought,

reminding soldiers why they fight

these wars that are our lot.

Wear uniforms for memory

of those of us who died

for millions who did never choose

oppression, fear, and lies.

Never falter, soldier,

there are those of us who see,

who know you for the man you are

and the hero you could be.

News and Poetry and maybe a new ebook?

Hi, everyone.  It's been a bit since I posted anything to this blog. Sorry about that. I didn't really have anything to say.

I've been writing a lot lately. The pressure has slowed up at work, so I'm not coming home anymore feeling too tired to think, let alone be creative. I've also been on leave all this week, which has been utterly wonderful. I've got several chapters of CALLED written, including figuring out a plot point that was fighting me. I've also written a few short stories. Hopefully I'll find a venue for them to be published, or perhaps put a bunch of them together and try them out on Smashwords. Would anyone be interested in buying an ebook of my short stories that way? Let me know.

In Sylph book news, the only new thing I've heard is that Amazon is planning to rerelease the first three Sylph books in the new year. I don't know when. I also don't know if they're going to buy book four. This process always takes a painfully long amount of time.

Yesterday (okay, today at about two am), I was inspired to write a poem. Figured I'd toss it up here for you to enjoy. Hope you like it.

If I do publish a book of short stories, would people be interested in my including some of my poetry in it? I have a few that are epics and storyline based.

INSPIRATION IS A FICKLE BITCH

Shall I make it difficult

To drag out from the dark,

With screaming wails and lashing sobs

An inspiration spark?

It never has been simple

To harpoon ghostly whales,

Who crest and blow and then are gone

'Neath black and depthless veils.

'Tis sometimes like to waiting

In a blind for morn,

And the rapid beat of waking wings

Risen by the horn

So many say the bait to use

Is bloody red for ink,

Drawn from the very heart of thought

 And bottled, drained, and linked

It's true if it's not difficult

Then none will see the point,

And will not strive for greater peaks

And risk the disappoint.

Or perhaps it should come easy

A flowing from the pen,

To keep you coming back for more

When stripped away again.

Red Hot Review

A while ago, I was asked to write a blog entry for Red Hot Books on a book I'd recommend. It was intriguing, since blogs usually ask me about my own books, not other people's. I had fun writing it though and if you want to see what book I recommended, then the link to the article is here.

What's up in writing news...? Wrote a story including the winged woman from my last post and three mighty *coughyeahrightcough* warriors. Now I think I'm going to go work on CALLED for a while. Or go to sleep, I'm still deciding.

Three sets of wings make sense, right?

I created a digital painting the other day. I really like the way it turned out. Enough that I think I need to write a story on who this woman is. I'm curious as to what she has to tell me.  :)

In writing/publishing news, I've heard a little bit more on what's going on, but not as much as I want to. I asked the Amazon team a bunch of questions, most of which they've answered. The one big one they didn't is whether someone can download ebooks on a platform other than kindle.

Here's a bit of what they sent me, trimmed off all the irrelevant/personal stuff.

We are currently collecting materials and do not have a schedule for when titles will be released in ebook for Kindle or paperback. We do not currently have plans to make changes to the interior or cover of previously published books. International distribution will be based on your contract, amended contracts will be sent out shortly.

Your books will be available for mass distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor.  Any bookstore or outlet that has access to ordering through these channels can stock your books.  Also, our dedicated sales force at Brilliance leverages their contacts to get titles into stores and distributes for us as well. We are always looking for ways to improve and we are always working to increase our physical distribution.

In writing news, CALLED is up to about 64,000 words. I took a bit of a break from it to write a short story about a superhero who's down on his luck. Not a lot of creativity going on, sadly. Its been crazy busy at work and I'm mostly too tired to do anything but watch episodes of Supernatural when I get home. I have the entire long weekend off, however, so hopefully that'll help recharge the old mental batteries.

Amazon has purchased Dorchester

I got this email the other day. Woohoo!

Dear (former) Dorchester Authors & Agents –

I write to you with terrific news!  We have officially closed the deal with Dorchester Publishing.  The announcement has just been released (see below), and we are gearing up for the next steps.  Next week we will send you your Welcome Packet, which will include lots of information and best ways to reach us for any of your future questions.  I wanted you to hear the exciting news from us first.  Thanks again for all of your help in making this deal so successful.  We are thrilled to bring you into the Amazon Publishing family.  Stay tuned for more information.

Thanks again,

Caroline Carr

Caroline Carr | Rights & Licensing, Amazon Publishing

Amazon Publishing Acquires Publication Contracts to Over 1000 Books from Dorchester Publishing

SEATTLE—August 30, 2012—Amazon Publishing today announced that it has acquired through an auction the publication contracts of over 1000 books from Dorchester Publishing. As part of the process, Dorchester authors were offered the opportunity to join Amazon Publishing and receive the full back royalties that Dorchester indicated were owed. 

“Working with the Dorchester author community during this auction process has been a tremendous experience for all of us,” said Philip Patrick, Business Development Director at Amazon Publishing. “We are happy to be able to pay their back royalties and we’re thrilled to welcome them to the Amazon Publishing family.”

“Amazon Publishing is breathing new life into my series, and I’m very excited to see what the future holds,” said Tracy Madison, award-winning author of the Gypsy Magic series.

“I am excited beyond words about being offered this chance to join Amazon Publishing.  I cannot thank them enough for stepping in and giving former Dorchester authors the chance to move ahead,” said Deborah MacGillivray, author and agent of the late Dawn Thompson, author of The Ravening. “Dawn literally lived for her writing. Amazon Publishing is helping me safeguard Dawn’s legacy, and to see that new readers can continue to find her books,” said Dawn’s sister, Diane Thompson.

“This new relationship will enable the works of countless talented fiction writers to serve their established readers and reach new ones across the globe,” said Gregg Loomis, author of The Bonaparte Secret.

“The transition from Dorchester to Amazon Publishing means that our authors will now be able to reach so many more readers and markets worldwide than they ever could before.  That truly is something to celebrate,” said Vicky Piekarski and Jon Tuska, co-owners of Golden West Literary Agency, in a joint statement.

Going forward, the acquired Dorchester titles will be published under the appropriate Amazon Publishing imprints: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror titles to 47North; Romance titles to Montlake Romance; Mystery and Thriller titles to Thomas & Mercer; Westerns and other titles to AmazonEncore. Titles will be available both in print and as Kindle books. Under the terms of Amazon’s bid, any former Dorchester Publishing authors that chose not to work with Amazon Publishing will have their rights revert back to them to pursue other publishing opportunities including self-publishing via the Kindle Direct Publishing platform.

Amazon Publishing is the publishing arm of Amazon.com. Amazon Publishing’s West Coast Group includes imprints AmazonEncore, AmazonCrossing, Montlake Romance, Thomas & Mercer, and 47North. Amazon Publishing’s East Coast Group publishes adult trade, children's and young adult titles. For more information about all imprints of Amazon Publishing, visit www.amazon.com/amazonpublishing. Amazon Publishing is a brand used by Amazon Content Services, LLC.

About Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. The new latest generation Kindle is the lightest, most compact Kindle ever and features the same 6-inch, most advanced electronic ink display that reads like real paper even in bright sunlight. Kindle Touch is a new addition to the Kindle family with an easy-to-use touch screen that makes it easier than ever to turn pages, search, shop, and take notes – still with all the benefits of the most advanced electronic ink display.  Kindle Touch 3G is the top of the line e-reader and offers the same new design and features of Kindle Touch, with the unparalleled added convenience of free 3G.  Kindle Fire is the Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, apps, games and web browsing with all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync, Amazon Silk (Amazon’s new revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser), vibrant color touch screen, and powerful dual-core processor.  

 Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, and www.amazon.es. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

The sylphs have a new home

Well, it looks like they do.

I've signed a contract with Amazon for the sylph series. If they win the auction at the end of this month (I think they will. I don't know of anyone else bidding), then the first three sylph books will be rereleased and, from the sound of it, the fourth and fifth books will come out as well.  So woohoo!

So, more books, books that people can actually FIND in a bookstore, and hopefully many more readers. :)

New Character Art

This one took a long time. One, because I have bronchitis and can't do much of anything for very long at all, and two, because I have a horrid time painting skin tones and redid the whole colour painting about four times.

Here's Leon and Ril, pretty close to how I see them in my head. Just me trying to improve my art.

CALLED is past the 45,000 word mark, by the way. Slow but steady.

Not the kind of inspiration I wanted

Ugh.... I've been sick since last Tuesday. Took two days off, dragged myself in for half a day on Friday, relapsed, and have been in bed since I got home. As of last night, I have a cough so bad I can't even lie flat. I hate being sick.

The only good thing about it is that, apparently, at two am when I can't sleep or speak for coughing and am sitting in my recliner drinking neo-citran, I get inspired to write poetry.



The Cold

I find while lying in the dark
Wracked by violent episode,
My thoughts do turn to hope of peace
And wish that all the world were slowed.
The fires of thought do run as strong
As raging storms and fleeting steeds,
Never stopping for a breath
But crashing on in wild stampedes.
Still I sit here shadowed by
Lack of company and rest,
Unable e’en to lie me down
And find the softest dream’s sweet breast.

I can finally almost say I'm going to be published again!

I've heard from my agent. Amazon is working at getting everything ready to buy Dorchester's assets and once they do, they'll issue new contracts to us authors (I don't promise I'll sign it until I see it, but it already has me getting bigger royalties than Dorchester ever paid me, plus I'd get all the money still owed me).

The four books I have out already will be reprinted and reissued, apparently both as print and as ebooks. The biggest part of it, as far as all of you are concerned, is that once the deal is signed, they want to talk to us about issuing new works. So if I do sign on the dotted line, then HUNTER OF THE SYLPHS and WAR OF THE SYLPHS will very likely be released.